Former Civil Servants Seek Protection For RTI Activists In Odisha

Bhubaneswar: Expressing concern over recent attacks on Right to information (RTI) activists in Odisha, 18 former civil servants led by Aruna Roy have urged Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to implement the Whistle Blowers Protection Act.

In a letter to the Chief Minister, the former civil servants referred to murders of RTI activist Ranjan Kumar Das on January 31, 2020 and suspicious death of RTI activist Abhimanyu Pandya in December 2019, and said that the repetitive pattern of violence was an abuse of law and order.

“We are dismayed at the repeated number of RTI activists facing violent threats and even losing their lives to violent, criminal elements in your state,” says the letter to the CM.

Initiated by Roy along with Harsh Mander and Sundar Burra, the letter dated February 9 said that Odisha had become one of the most dangerous spaces for RTI users. “As responsible citizens and as ex-members of government, we strongly condemn this brutal murder,” it said.

Retired Odisha-cadre bureaucrats Meena Gupta and Arabinda Behera are among the signatories.

The former civil servants urged the CM to implement administrative and legislative measures to protect the RTI activists, who are committed to exposing corruption and promoting accountability.

“The government must respond not just by apprehending the murderers, but also by taking measures to prevent such attacks in the future, and ensure that RTI users are protected,” it further said.

They also suggested steps to protect RTI users/activists:

1) Passage and effective implementation of the Whistle Blowers Protection Act.

2) RTI activists should be seen as whistle blowers and human rights defenders, and their families should receive support and compensation in case of death.

3) Measures undertaken by the MoRD (Ministry of Rural Development) for MGNREGA [under Section 27 (2) – regarding receipt of complaints about lack of effective implementation of provisions of the Act] should become state government policy for every department — so that the issues themselves are thoroughly investigated and the RTI users’ objective of exposing and eliminating corruption continues beyond the attack.

These measures include establishing complaint cells and ensuring safety of the enquiry officers and complainants/whistleblowers.

4) The State government must make efforts to implement Section 4 (1)(b) of the RTI Act, whereby public authorities must provide information suo motu to the public.

Body of Das, who was convener of the district unit of Odisha Jana Suchana Adhikar Abhijan of Talasanga village, was found in a ditch with injury marks at Berua village of Kendrapada district.

Pandya from Kandhamal was found dead under equally suspicious circumstances.